Essex County Champs Commence

Friday night saw Romford Town’s golden girls kick off this year’s County Championship with a trio of golds in the 800m Freestyle. Amelia Moule in the 14 year age group, Emily Milton in the 15 year age group and Jess Ayling in the 16 year age group. What a start to the competition!

17 year old Georgia Milton would no doubt have collected a gold medal in the Open 800M Freestyle, however she had been selected to swim with the London Regional Team in Amiens, France wher she bagged 4th place in their Senior 800m Freestyle event.

Session 2 started with the girls’ 400m Individual Medley where Moule picked up where she left off and collected another gold medal for her swim; particularly special as she was celebrating her 14th birthday! The boys produced in the 400m Freestyle. Louis Lane in the 12 year age group collected silver. In the 14 year age group Lewis Binning collected gold, Daniel Gencas took bronze with training mate Nathan Banga finishing just outside the medals in 4th place. Oliver Bath produced a PB to collect gold medal in his age group, whilst 15 year old Jude Ward claimed bronze, with Aaron Wilson just missing out on the medals in 4th place.

Milton claimed a bronze in the 400m Individual Medley, whilst Moule collected a silver in the 100m Breaststroke. Swimming in the 13 year age group, a delighted Holly Hagan collected a bronze medal; her first County individual medal.

Binning made it 2 golds from 2 races winning gold in the 100m Freestyle and Lane improved his finish position to also claim gold. Wilson fought hard to collect a well earned silver medal. Milton wrapped up session 2 for the girls with a bronze in the 100m Backstroke.

The girls’ 200m Breaststroke started off Session 3 where Ayling swam a PB to collect the silver medal. Moule took gold in the 200m Freestyle whilst the boys’ 200m Backstroke gave 12 year old birthday boy Louis Lane much to celebrate as he claimed a bronze. Binning collected gold number 3 and Gencas another bronze.

Moule made her way to the podium again, this time to collect a silver from the 200m Individual Medley. Milton and Ayling also claimed silvers from the 200m Freestyle.

The boys’ 100m Butterfly final saw Lane collect a silver, whilst Binning continued his gold rush and finished in top spot again. Gencas just missed out on a medal, finishing in 4th place.

The final session of Block A saw Ward just miss out on the medals in 4th place in the 200m Backstroke. Lane and Binning both conceded the win to collect silver medals in their 100m Backstroke finals.

10 year old Lewis Jarrett was beaming from ear to ear, even though he just missed out on a medal in the 200m Breaststroke; what a debut County performance! Lane collected another silver, whilst Binning put himself back on top of the podium with a hard fought gold medal.

Isabelle Jopson was delighted with her 200m Butterfly swim and proudly collected her bronze medal for her effort.

David Ebanks just missed
out on a gold in the 16+ 100m Breaststroke final, claiming silver medal, just 3/100ths off gold! A similar tale befell the boys’ 10/14 200m Medley relay team comprising Daniel Gencas, Lewis Binning, Joshua Eguakhide and Nathan Banga; they missed the gold medal by 11/100ths of a second!

Head Coach Gary Rogers reflected on the weekend’s success saying “I am pleased with the start RTSC has made. The medal table reflects the achievement made by many of my swimmers, but there have also been many PBs swum today by those that haven’t made finals. Onwards and upwards!”